THE CITY REBORN FROM THE ASHES OF AMERICA'S MOST DISASTROUS FOREST FIRE

Noack Takes Over As Grover Road Supervisor

Issue Date: May 22, 2014

Bids for Town of Grover road work for the 2014 construction season will be opened at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 4, just prior to the the regular monthly board meeting at 6 p.m.

The meeting on Monday, May 12, was the last for Brian Stujenske as road supervisor. He is moving to Missouri. His replacement, Ben Noack, was also present for the board meeting.

Discussion centered on road work, culverts, and a request from Randy and Heather Burtts for permission to put a directional sign to her business site on their property at the corner of County B and Forest View Road.

The couple put their request to the board during time for public comment at the start of the meeting. The towns zoning ordinance allows signs only on the premise of a business.

Burtts said he has a business at their home, but they want a sign pointing to his wifes business location.

Supervisor Kim Kittredge, who also serves as zoning administrator, told them only one sign is permitted per premise, and the size is limited.

The couple mentioned other signs that seem to conflict with the ordinance, including some that simply say welcome to my house.

Clerk/Treasurer Lisa Witak said some of them might have been there before the sign ordinance was passed in 2004. She said the ordinance regulates new signs, but ones that already existed can stay where they are.

Kittredge, reading from the ordinance book, said signs not more than two square feet can be put up for home businesses, but for larger signs you need a permit. She said there is some reference to directional signs, and there appears to be a conflict in the ordinance. I need to find out from the Plan Commission how they interpret the directional sign rules, she said, and offered to look into it for them.

Mrs. Burtts said they want a sign with the name of the shop, the address, and how many miles ahead.

Kittredge said she saw nothing in zoning book definitions that covered their request, and suggested, Maybe theres a little loop hole for your sign. I will definitely be happy to look into this for you.

I certainly understand both sides, said Town Chair Wayne Staidl. We dont want signs cluttering the roadsides, but we need to help people find businesses.

Were on a county road and its our property! Mrs. Burtts declared.

There was no action, but Kittredge will look into it and get back to them. Staidl had received a thank you letter from the state for his service as a member this year on the Wisconsin Department of Transportations TRIP committee.

Witak reported she trained the previous week on the towns new web site, which is now up and running. She will post more pictures as soon as summer comes.

Supervisor Wayne Hoffman reported the culvert on Carlson Road will cost $580, if they go with a 24 plastic culvert. In steel the cost would be higher. If they could get by with 18 rather than 24, the cost would drop $200.

Staidl felt by going with 18 they could put more protective fill over it without turning the dip into a hump. He felt there are no big hills involved that would cause a big rush of water.

With the 18 culvert on Carlson they will need $6,295 for that project. There is a possibility for more bridge aid but that might involve waiting until next year.

Culverts needed for this year are four on Seefeldt Road, two for Boat Landing Lane, and one each for Loucks road and Carlson Lane. Bridge aid will be used, but they had applied for aid for only one culvert on Loucks and now find they need two. They considered either waiting until next year for that project, or putting in just one of the two culverts needed this year, depending on installation costs and if a project done this year could be eligible for bridge aid this year. Feeling was it would be cheaper to do both at once. However, total cost for just the culvert purchase is $9,145, without installation cost. They have only available $9,860 available, of which $7,500 is budgeted and $2,360 is from county bridge aid.

Witak pointed out $700 will not pay for installation of eight culverts, and predicted cost in the neighborhood of $2,000.

As a matter of safety, I think we should go ahead with the project, Staidl commented. He suggested putting off Boat Landing Road until next year and forfeiting the bridge aid if necessary.

Our application says its in emergency need of repair, Witak reminded the board. She felt it would be a hazard not to replace the culverts. Kittredge suggested asking about the possibility of putting all the culverts in this year and possibly getting the 50 percent aid for the second culvert next year. Eventually the board unanimously approved a motion to purchase all the culverts listed by Hoffman, but see what the options are regarding bridge aid when it comes to installing them.

There was a problem with flooding on Richter Road where the county downsized to a 3 culvert instead of 4 or 5. A culvert of 5 and more requires DNR approval. They have put in breaker rock for now so people can get in and out, but Staidl feels they will almost certainly need to increase the size of the culvert.

A dip between the two culverts on Town Hall Road will be filled in with blacktop for now. Hoffman believes the fill under it washed away.

Staidl said he had talked with Marinette County Highway Commissioner Ray Palonen about a few things including road bans. We came to an understanding that they couldnt keep road bans on until June 1, ...because that would be war, Staidl said. The bans (weight restrictions) are off now, but the roads are still soft, Staidl said.

He had asked Palonen about the effectiveness of grinding up the old blacktop surface on dead end roads and then adding chip seal. He was told that will not last as long as blacktop, but is better than gravel. Staidl said the roads with heavy agricultural traffic are really bad right now.

Kittredge reported she issued one driveway permit, one fireworks permit and five building permits in the past month, and received one barking dog complaint.

Stujenske reported the safety signs are up, but they only have six weight limit signs and need three more for the additional roads that need signs.

The board opened proposals for port-a-potty service at the Little River Town Park from Memorial Day to Labor Day, one from Hardings for $100 per month with weekly cleaning, and one from K&M for $80 a month with weekly cleaning and $75 a month with monthly cleaning. Vote to go with the low bid was unanimous. The outdoor privies are to be treated with lime and soil over the top, and then boarded up.